Residue management tool for seeders

Abstract

A residue management tool mountable to a frame of a seeder for cutting or clearing residue on the ground is provided, comprising a pivotable arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the pivotable arm adapted to be directly or indirectly pivotally attached to the frame; a rotatable cutting or clearing device operably mounted to the distal end of the pivotable arm and operative to cut or clear the residue on the ground; a biasing device operative to exert a downward bias force on the pivotable arm to engage the rotatable cutting or clearing device with the ground; and a depth restraint operative to prevent the rotatable cutting or clearing device from over-penetrating the ground.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A residue management tool mountable to a frame of a seeder for cutting or clearing residue on the ground, comprising:
 (a) a pivotable arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the pivotable arm adapted to be directly or indirectly pivotally mounted to the frame; 
 (b) a rotatable cutting or clearing device operably mounted to the distal end of the pivotable arm and operative to cut or clear the residue on the ground; 
 (c) a first biasing device operative to exert a downward bias force on the pivotable arm to engage the rotatable cutting or clearing device with the ground; 
 (d) a depth restraint operative to prevent the rotatable cutting or clearing device from over-penetrating the ground; 
 Wherein the pivotable arm comprises a pivot arm and a mounting arm operably attached to each other at one of their ends by means of a mounting device, whereby a free end of the pivot arm attaches to the frame and a free end of the mounting arm mounts the rotatable cutting or clearing device; and 
 Wherein the mounting device is adapted to allow the mounting arm to move from side to side relative to the ground. 
 
     
     
       2. The residue management tool as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting arm can move about 25 to about 45 degrees side to side. 
     
     
       3. The residue management tool as claimed in  claim 1 , whereby the depth restraint comprised a tether. 
     
     
       4. The residue management tool as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the depth restraint comprises a plurality of holes in the pivotable arm and a lock pin. 
     
     
       5. A ground opening assembly mountable to a frame of a seeder, comprising:
 (a) an elongate main member having a first end mountable to the frame and a second end; 
 (b) a first dispensing implement for dispensing a first material to a first depth in the ground mounted to the main member between the first and second ends; 
 (c) a ground compressing and gauging member mounted to the second end of the elongate main member; 
 (d) a residue management tool comprising a pivotable arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the pivotable arm adapted to be directly or indirectly pivotally mounted to the frame; a rotatable cutting or clearing device operably mounted to the distal end of the pivotable arm and operative to cut or clear the residue on the ground; a first biasing device operative to exert a downward bias force on the pivotable arm to engage the rotatable cutting or clearing device with the ground; and a depth restraint operative to prevent the rotatable cutting or clearing device from over-penetrating the ground; mounted to the frame such that it is positioned between the frame and the first dispensing implement; and 
 (e) a second biasing device operative to exert a downward bias force on the first dispensing implement to engage the ground; 
 
       whereby the depths of both the residue management tool and the first dispensing implement in the ground are controlled by the ground compressing member and any excess downward bias forces on the residue management tool and the first dispensing implement are applied to the ground compressing and gauging member. 
     
     
       6. The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the ground opener assembly further comprises a second dispensing implement for dispensing a second material to a second depth in the ground mounted to the main member at the second end such that the second dispensing implement is positioned between the first dispensing implement and the ground compressing and gauging member. 
     
     
       7. The assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the ground compressing and gauging member also controls the depth of the second dispensing implement. 
     
     
       8. The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the first biasing device and the second biasing device are interconnected. 
     
     
       9. The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , whereby the first biasing device is a first hydraulic cylinder and the second biasing device is a second hydraulic cylinder and the first and second hydraulic cylinders are interconnected in parallel. 
     
     
       10. The assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , whereby hydraulic lines of the first and second hydraulic cylinders are interconnected by means of a T connector. 
     
     
       11. The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the mounting device of the residue management tool is adapted to allow the mounting arm to move from side to side relative to the ground. 
     
     
       12. The assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the mounting arm can move about 25 to about 45 degrees side to side. 
     
     
       13. The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , whereby the depth restraint comprised a tether. 
     
     
       14. The assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the depth restraint comprises a plurality of holes in the pivotable arm and a lock pin.